Pregnancy blood tests are part of the antenatal check-up program. Some tests are for all women, but some are only offered if you are at risk for a specific infection or genetic condition.
All prenatal tests are done to check for any factors that could be causing problems during pregnancy or after birth. In addition, these tests can help check if the baby is healthy. Here are some of the types of blood tests your doctor often asks for.
During your first prenatal visit, your doctor will check your blood to see if your blood type is type O, A, B or AB and is Rh negative.
If your blood type is Rh negative, you will be given Rh immunoglobulin at least once during pregnancy and another after birth if your baby is Rh positive.
This shot will protect you from developing antibodies that could be dangerous during this pregnancy or future pregnancies. (Note: if Dad is Rh negative, he will also be Rh negative, so you don't need this shot).
Your doctor also checks your blood to identify Rh antibodies as well as some other antibodies that may be affecting your pregnancy.
The whole blood count will show if you have too little hemoglobin in your red blood cells (a sign of anemia) and if so, if it is due to iron deficiency.
If you have iron deficiency, your doctor will recommend an iron supplement and eat plenty of iron-rich foods, such as lean meats. This test also helps to count platelet and white blood cell counts. (Increased white blood cells may be a sign of infection).
This test, also known as the rubella index, checks the concentration of antibodies to the rubella virus in the blood to see if you are immune to it. Most women are immune to rubella, because they were vaccinated or had the disease when they were children.
During pregnancy, the rubella virus can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or stillbirth, as well as serious birth defects, depending on the degree of infection. So, if you are not immune, it is very important to avoid contact with an infected person and not travel to places where rubella is frequent .
Although it is not possible to get vaccinated while pregnant, you should get the vaccine after giving birth to protect your next pregnancy.
Many women with hepatitis B have no symptoms and can unknowingly pass the virus to their unborn baby during labor or after birth.
A hepatitis B test will help your doctor determine if you are a carrier of hepatitis B. If so, your doctor will protect your baby by giving your baby hepatitis B immune globulin and the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 12 hours of birth. (Your baby will get a second shot at 1 or 2 months old and a third shot at 6 months). All family members should be tested and vaccinated if you are a carrier.
Syphilis is a relatively rare STI today, but all women should be tested because if syphilis is present and left untreated, both you and your baby can have serious problems. In the unlikely event of a test result, an antibiotic will be prescribed to treat the infection.
Health experts always recommend that all pregnant women get tested for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS. If the test is positive for HIV, you and your baby will be treated to stay healthy and significantly reduce the chances of the baby becoming infected with HIV.
If you are not sure if you have had chickenpox or have been vaccinated, you will be tested to see if you are immune to the disease. If you are at high risk for diabetes, a glucose tolerance (sugar) test will be done at your first prenatal visit.
In addition, all pregnant women in the first trimester should be screened for Down syndrome and some other chromosomal abnormalities, by having a blood test and ultrasound to see the dullness of the nape of the baby's neck.
Doctors may recommend several other blood tests to screen for the genetic disorder, depending on your situation and requirements. Some of these, like the cystic fibrosis test, can be done even if you're not in the high-risk group.
Usually, the test results will be notified and explained by the doctor at the next visit, if there are no abnormalities that need to be resolved immediately.
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